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Reps urge INEC to extend voter registration by two months

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The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the June 30, 2022, deadline for voter registration by 60 days, to enable more eligible Nigerians to register, get their Permanent Voter Card and participate in the 2023 general elections.

Also, the House mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to engage with INEC to “examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.”

The engagement is to also see to the deployment of an additional 30 voter registration machines in each of the 774 local government areas, train and deploy ad hoc staff to improve the shortage of manpower at registration centres and provide security for the ad hoc staff.

The committee is to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

A member of the House, Benjamin Kalu, had at the plenary on Wednesday moved a motion titled ‘Need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Extend the Deadline of Continuous Voters Registration, Deploy Additional Staff and Voters Registration Machines Across the Country.’

Kalu, in the motion, noted that the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration exercise by INEC is scheduled to end on June 30, ahead of the elections. He also noted that the decision to suspend the exercise is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the Commission to suspend voter registration at least 60 days before an election.

The lawmaker recalled that in April 2022, INEC declared that about 42 per cent of the voter registrations recorded since the commencement of CVR on June 28, 2021, were invalid with about 20 million unclaimed PVCs.

He said, “The House is cognizant of the large numbers of unregistered eligible voters willing to be registered as evidenced by crowds seen at various registration centres resulting in congestion.

“The House is concerned about reports of shortages of voter registration machines, inadequate manpower and personnel at registration centres, which may lead to frustrations among prospective registrants and in some cases, unrest at some registration centres.

“The House is also aware of calls from concerned citizens and civil societies urging INEC to extend the voters’ registration deadline to accommodate eligible voters desiring to register for their Permanent Voters Cards.”

Kalu stated that the right to vote is “critically important to the health and legitimacy of our democracy, as well as electoral integrity.”

He said, “If nothing is done to improve the shortage of voter registration equipment and extend the deadline for voter registration, millions of Nigerians will be disenfranchised, thus jeopardising the integrity of the 2023 general elections.”

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“Go and Verify”: How Sunday Umeha Is Redefining Representation in Ezeagu/Udi

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Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha has continued to distinguish himself not only as a grassroots politician but as a sound parliamentarian who clearly understands the true essence of legislative representation and public service.

Since emerging as the Member representing Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Umeha has consistently demonstrated capacity, vision, and commitment both on the floor of the National Assembly and within his constituency.

Unlike many politicians whose promises disappear after elections, Rt. Hon. Umeha has steadily transformed his campaign mantra, “Go and Verify,” into practical realities visible across communities in Ezeagu and Udi Federal Constituency.

From road construction to solar-powered streetlights, classroom projects, healthcare interventions, agricultural empowerment, scholarships, boreholes, and youth development programmes, his stewardship has remained rooted in service delivery and measurable impact.

Observers say one of the strongest qualities that separates Umeha from many lawmakers is his deep understanding of parliamentary responsibilities. Through strategic bills and motions, he has continued to show that representation goes beyond rhetoric and political appearances.

Among several notable legislative efforts, he sponsored bills seeking the establishment of a Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition in Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, reforms in the education sector through the abolition of levies in public basic schools, mandatory insurance protection for NYSC members, and the establishment of a National Football Academy.

He also sponsored motions addressing critical national concerns, including the investigation into the gruesome killing of Nigerians by soldiers in Enugu State and the urgent completion of the Karshi/Apo Road project in Abuja to ease traffic congestion.

Political analysts note that these interventions reflect a lawmaker who understands that effective representation must combine constituency development with strong legislative advocacy.

Many constituents equally commend him for remaining faithful to the promises he made during his campaigns. Across the constituency, residents point to completed and ongoing projects as evidence that the lawmaker has not reneged on his commitments to the people.

Beyond governance and legislative duties, Rt. Hon. Umeha also played significant roles in efforts aimed at restoring sanity, stability, and internal cohesion within the Labour Party before his eventual defection to the APC.

Sources within the political space in Enugu State revealed that Umeha consistently pushed for peace, unity, and institutional order within the party during periods of internal crisis and leadership disagreements. His interventions were said to be driven by the desire to protect the interests of party members and preserve the integrity of the platform.

However, following prolonged internal challenges and unresolved structural issues within the Labour Party, the federal lawmaker eventually moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a decision many political observers described as strategic and inevitable.

Despite the political transition, supporters insist that his focus has remained unchanged — delivering quality representation, empowering constituents, and sustaining developmental projects across Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency.

For many residents, Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha represents a rare blend of grassroots leadership, legislative competence, humility, and political responsibility.

And across the constituency, the verdict from many communities remains simple:

“He promised, and he delivered.”

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